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Capt. David Mitchell, USN, CPA

Here in Gardez, Afghanistan, I’m helping Afghans develop their
own security forces and ensure their safety. I spend every day except
Friday, which is their holy day, mentoring Afghan general officers,
senior officers and enlisted personnel. I find they are an engaging,
caring, friendly people, and I enjoy working with them.

I was raised in Columbus, Ohio, in a working-class family. I
had been interested in flying since the first time I saw an airplane
and knew what it was. When I was 14, I started riding my bike out to
an old country airport and got a part-time job there. I soloed an
airplane the summer I turned 16 and planned a career as a military pilot.

However, life got in the way. I worked full time in high school
and also while attending night classes at Franklin University in
Columbus. I started out as a business administration major, but I
really enjoyed accounting and made it my major. I graduated cum laude
in 1978 after seven semesters. I did an internship with Coopers &
Lybrand my senior year and then was hired full time upon graduation.

After two years, a military recruiter who had talked to me before
got in touch with me. After a lot of soul searching, the choice
between my budding career as a CPA in public practice and military
aviation was easy. I flew Lockheed P-3 Orions for more than 3,000
hours, first hunting Soviet ballistic missile submarines and then
providing intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance for combat
forces on the ground in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

After the Cold War ended, I continued flying and deploying
overseas in the Navy Reserve while I resumed a career in accounting. I
worked two years in industry before being hired by the then-new
Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s Cleveland office. I managed
the Navy’s Financial Reporting System, then took over as head of their
Internal Review office.

In 2007, I was promoted to my current civilian position with
the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Forces Command, at Fort
McPherson, Ga. There, I run the Internal Review office, doing
financial and performance reviews, managing compliance with the
Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act and providing liaison to
numerous external audits.

I volunteered to be mobilized to Afghanistan for 15 months and
re-entered active duty last July. I was approaching 30 years as an
officer in the Navy and retirement. However, I felt that all my
training and experience could be used one more time to help win the
global war on terror. Being here and doing the mission has reaffirmed
for me that it was the right thing to do.

The biggest challenge is the Taliban and insurgents from
foreign countries that are against the Afghan people being free to
choose to educate their sons and daughters, vote for their
representatives, go where they choose—in short, to enjoy life. Most
Afghans instinctively know this, I believe, but in many places the
danger from the insurgents is great. With the efforts of the Afghan
people, the Afghan National Security Forces and the coalition forces,
I believe this will be overcome in time.

I am 54, married to Darcey Mitchell, my wonderful wife and soul
mate, and have an adult son and daughter, David Jr. and Kelly,
both of Columbus, Ohio. My heart and soul belong to my 6-year-old
daughter, Kerianna, and I look forward to many years raising her with
Darcey. I enjoy flying, volunteering with organizations like the Civil
Air Patrol and spending time working around our home.

I was appointed to the AICPA Government Performance and
Accountability Committee just after I was mobilized and look forward
to being able to meet with members in person upon my return from
supporting the Afghan National Security Forces in bringing peace to
their country.

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